This invention relates to cabinet closures. It is particularly directed to a cabinet of the type having an opening which is closed by a pivotable panel. That panel is pivoted to a position in which the cabinet opening is accessible, and the panel is then slid along tracks into the interior of the cabinet. The tracks conventionally include gear racks and spur gears mounted thereon, with the spur gears coupled together by an equalizer rod connected to the panel to ensure free movement of the panel along the tracks, preventing misalignment and jamming of the panel.
The present invention is directed to an improvement in such an assembly. In the past, the equalizer rod has conventionally served as a direct support for hinges that mount the panel that closes the cabinet opening. Such an arrangement tends to direct forces against the equalizer rod when the panel is being pivoted, forcing movement of the equalizer rod along the track. It is desirable to eliminate such forces. In the present invention, the equalizer rod serves only as an equalizing member, i.e., solely to link together the two spur gears to cause accurate movement of the panel within the cabinet. Pivotable support for that panel is provided by a tubing which surrounds the equalizer rod. By using such tubing, which can be made very rigid, strong support for the panel is provided, and forces tending to move the panel along the track may be minimized as the panel is pivoted. In the present invention, the ends of the tubing include projections which ride in channels along the associated tracks in the cabinet, preventing twisting of the tubing as the panel is pivoted, and yet providing good movement of the tubing along the tracks. Additionally, the end projections of the tubing which ride in the associated track channels resiliently engage portions of those channels at the ends of the channels to provide for positive positioning of the panel at its extreme positions of movement along the tracks in the cabinet.
The following patents are representative of prior systems including gear tracks and equalizer rods:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Applicant(s) Issued ______________________________________ 3,339,995 R. C. Bencene 09/05/67 4,346,950 H. Ueno et al 08/31/82 4,375,907 David Vander Kooi et al 03/08/83 ______________________________________
The invention will be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.